Coming Back
by gooddame
Summary: One Shot: ..."Katerina!" he cried as she squeezed the frame further hoping to kick him out. "Don't call me that," she hissed when he finally made it inside shutting the door behind him forcefully setting himself against it as she eyed him...
1. Chapter 1

She practically moaned when she freed her feet from her new shoes as she pulled her shirt from her head dropping it as she sensed someone near she shut her eyes listening intently as she moved closer to the door.

While she hadn't been dead or back that very long Kat still did have some pull in certain areas and that entailed enemies not many had been privy to the knowledge of her return except for one that had made her heart bitter.

The eye peep had been shielded making her suspicious she gathered her wits and swung open her apartment door feeling at the loose wooden framing just in case always the one to go to for a backup plan.

She felt her face form into a frown filled with bitterness, "I should have stayed dead," she muttered when she found him outside of her apartment for the third time that week.

She quickly shut the door on him but Elijah was too quick the door's edge landing on his chest as he fought his way in, "Katerina!" he cried as she squeezed the frame further hoping to kick him out.

"Don't call me that," she hissed when he finally made it inside shutting the door behind him forcefully setting himself against it as she eyed him.

"It is your name," he said more calmly as he slicked back his hair taking in the beauty that had sat in the back of his mind from what seemed to be the dawn of time.

Her chin came up as she took a step closer despising how casual he sounded, "It's Katherine to you," she said vehemently before locating her top and sliding it back on.

He spoke knowing full well she was ignoring the warmth flooding her as his eyes burned her skin, "I'm not your enemy," he reminded her woefully.

Kat snorted in an unladylike fashion, "You're not my anything," she said with a pointed look wishing she still had her heels on for extra confidence not that she needed it.

Elijah glowered his eyes drifting from her face down to the floor, "Don't say that," she barely heard him utter it, she was certain she would have missed it if she wasn't so insistent on hurting him.

"You forgot me," she said easily with a shrug her lips lifting, pursing with a tilt of her head, "Easily," she waved her hand for emphasis looking away from him.

She caught herself before she could give in reminding them both, "I was sick and dying," she said her voice stronger than she felt, "You didn't come." Kat grimaced.

He threw his head back rubbing his neck, "I tried," he reasoned but it felt to her more like a battle within himself making the decision for herself at once.

"No you didn't," she bit back coming towards him once more looking for every single thing she could use against him, "Don't lie," she advised, "It's not the honorable thing to do."

Elijah's eyes met hers then connecting creating a frission they always had, "I wanted to," he said wishing he had kept his head down instead of having her read through his cowardice.

"I crossed the veil and I watched you," she continued without interruption the edge in her voice spiteful and harsh as she appeared in front of him with a shove against the door.

"I was wrong," he claimed admitting defeat as he caught himself and her in his embrace trying to make her see him as the man he was, the one who still loved her.

She ignored the shiver down her spine at the look of adulation over his face licking her lips, "We both were but I won't mistake your reverence of me for true love ever again."

Elijah took two breaths to absorb her admission his hands slipping from her face down to his sides she took a long step back catching her breath.

"I'll be back," he promised as he found his way out of her apartment she exhaled a deep sigh she hadn't been aware she was holding until she heard the click of the door shut.


	2. Chapter 2

She felt warm sweat dripping as she danced in the heated club surrounded by everyone and no one she knew as usual.

She grinned to herself as she danced swaying her hips back and forth to the rhythm of the song she would laugh at if she heard it during her day.

"I love watching you," someone whispered in her ear her eyes opened as he flashed away leaving no trace of him though she knew who he was.

She felt the frown lines forming on her face as her mood plummeted stomping off of the dance floor she left in a hurry unsure if he was still around.

She made it three blocks before she knew he was still 'watching' her, "Cut it out Eli," she said her voice as cutting as a razors edge.

She heard him chuckle somewhere in the darkness as she tried not to externally huff, she kept her composure as she walked the last bit to her building.

"Are you going to invite me inside," he asked appearing behind her as she unlocked the buildings door she looked back at him before she shoved him off of the stairs.

"I'd rather you walked into a fire than my building not that it's stopped you before," she retorted as she slammed the door behind her ignoring his hearty laughter.

"I told you I'd be back," he said following her as she stomped up the stairs, "I gave you your time away from me," he continued.

Katerina seethed internally as she ignored him wishing she didn't live on the fourth floor holding her key to her door she unlocked it not bothering with a last look.

"Let me in," he asked as her eyes bore into the other side of the door wishing things were different she heard his hand touch the door as he leaned his head against the wood.

"I can't," she whispered to herself knowing more than anything that she shouldn't let him back into her heart but also more than that that he was already there.

Their feelings would never die, they could, she could but feelings remained her tongue darted out licking her lips the longer she thought about it.

"You've already forgiven me," he said suddenly his hand wiggling the knob, "I know you, vengeful as you might be -your love for me is stronger."

Kat almost growled she longed to shut him up, to make him leave her alone and before she knew it she had unlocked the door and flung it open.

He was stunned at her action but Katerina always was a woman of action a little death wasn't going to change that.

She slapped him, hard, "You're right, I love you. I love you so much I forgave you," she whined before her face grew hard, "Is that what you want to hear?"

"Yes!" he shouted in return, "Anything but your indifference," she said more quietly but just as fiercely as he cradled her face between his hands.

"I'm sorry but that's all I can offer you right now," she said warming to his touch as she willed herself not to cry, "Come back tomorrow."

"I'll come back," he promised his thumbs rubbing her cheeks, warming them, "Every day," he murmured, "Until you let me in again."


	3. Chapter 3

Elijah ignored another call from his brother as he settled the inner battle in his mind over which tie would fit his suit better after a moments deliberation he reached for the slate colored one before he tired it into a Windsor knot

he half envisioned her angry today and twisting his tie around his neck in the endearing way she did when they were together before he left her with a sigh and a nod to the bast he was on his merry way to see his Katerina.

She had asked him to come back and he had taking her words and putting them to action all the while he knowing her attitude was fickle she rarely played with her own emotions the way she played with others.

It had been a series of hard days mixed in with a lot of good moments between the pair of them moments he hoped had etched in his mind for eternity.

Once more ignoring his phone he zoomed over to her building to find movers in place of the brunette he was after at the present moment when he felt his stomach drop.

His first thought was that he had been duped, betrayed but alas she appeared before him coming from the bedroom she had let him come into once when she was inebriated and wouldn't make it on her own.

"Eli," she said with a flip of her hair, "Good, you made it," she said with a wispy air about her as she gestured for the movers to leave them alone.

"Compelled," he asked still unclear as to what exactly was going on around him and why all of her things were gone.

"No need," she said as she crossed her arms walking closer to him, "I have a favor to ask you," she said as she met his eyes eagerly her demeanor surprising him even with how far they had come.

"Ask it," he said shortly hope lingering in his tone as she looked away suddenly rocking on her feet which proved to be possible even in those shoes.

Kat tried to look calm on the outside thought her insides were fighting an inner battle to finally and truly accept him once more with the hopes that he wouldn't leave again.

She had to remind herself that when he left it wasn't about her, it was about him and what he thought he needed to do for his family anything after that could easily be taken care of with a snap of the neck or something a little less shady.

"What if I told you I needed a place to stay and that I might be safest with you considering who's coming after me." She said very quickly he was happy he registered it.

Elijah considered her for a moment before he spoke, "It's not my brother is it," he asked she shook her head at him in reply as his eyebrows met with further confusion.

"Strangely it was your brother who warned me," she said as her fingers walked up his chest playfully the corners of her lips upturning as she did, "He's been trying to call you all morning," she added as she heard his phone go off once more.

"I'd say if you really need that much protection I'd even let you stay in my bad for security purposes," he replied coyly as she hugged herself to him.

"Of course," she said tilting her head before she laid her head on his front to keep him from seeing her smile as she said, "I'm happy you keep coming back Eli."

"I'll match your happiness if you stay this time," he murmured into her brown curls as he finally placed his arms around her. "Because I won't leave again."


End file.
